In a principal aspect, various embodiments of the present invention relate to a display rack construction primarily for the display of items having elongated handles, such as brooms, mops and the like.
The on-site display in retail stores of items that have an elongated handle, such as brooms, mops and other cleaning implements, may be effected in a number of ways. For example, the handles may be inserted downwardly into a free-standing bin with the active end of the item projecting upwardly. This manner of display is not favored inasmuch as the labeling for the item is typically upside down and thus difficult to read. Also, such a display technique does not lend itself to ease of access to the displayed item. Further, arrangement of the displayed items can be difficult, resulting in a non-uniform display arrangement that can appear untidy.
Alternatively, the items may be hung by the handle from hooks on a support rack with a wall or aisle display. The items may be hung through holes in their handles or by attached tabs. With this arrangement, it is difficult to remove from the hook any items that are not at the front of the row.
Another manner of displaying such cleaning implements and the like is to provide a rack which supports and aligns the handles, and thus the items, one in front of the other. Such a display rack typically includes a ladder-like rack attached to a vertical support surface and utilizes closely-spaced, parallel guide rods extending therefrom to hold the handles of the items in a linear array. Thus, the first item in the display is easily accessible to the consumer and may be easily removed from the display rack. Additionally, the labeling for the product may be easily viewed.
Although these types of display racks are deemed useful, maintaining the spaced arrangement of the racks while also providing a stable display support may be difficult and require additional mechanical assembly. Display racks of this type generally include a plurality of wall-mounted support racks, or ladders. The ladders are mounted on a vertical support surface side-by-side and spaced apart from adjacent ladders. To improve the stability and strength of the display rack, the ladders are often joined together using brackets or other connectors that extend between the vertical side rods of adjacent ladders. Additionally, when providing such a display rack, the ability to alter the arrangement of the positioning of the displayed items which may vary in size, length and the like is limited by the size and configuration of the ladders.
Thus, there has developed a need to provide a display rack construction that is self-stabilizing. Further, there remains a need for a display rack construction that is easily assembled and disassembled and changeable in assembly and construction in a manner that enables adjustment of the display rack to accommodate items of various sizes and configuration.